General - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Free Genealogy Tool Box

cwcdmc71 — 2009-11-12 05:23:44Z

I have made an e-book which is a free genealogy tool box to use, using Free Google Tools. If you would like to try it you can get it from my blog at http://squeakyscraps.wordpress.com/genealogy/
or you can just download it directly from mediafire at
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?owu1xmyvmzz.

I think any researcher will enjoy it and it is free. It is written keeping the beginner in mind so it has alot of directional text in it. Also keep in mind that Google might have changed some since I wrote the book.

If you download it, I hope you enjoy it.

In need of web site

justcorey1960 — 2009-11-11 17:41:19Z

I've been trying to find a free web building site to put out reports charts ect from FTM but want one I can do the copy paste easy formating type with photo - chat forum - member area some what of a web reuion site ect any sugestions

Re: mac software

StephenHoward1958 — 2009-11-11 11:57:18Z

Thanks for the info and the chuckle.

Re: mac software

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-11 03:11:03Z

one word: Reunion

Recognized by God, The Devil, and almost everyone in between as THE genealogy package for Macs.

mac software

StephenHoward1958 — 2009-11-11 00:40:07Z

I was wondering if there is any software that would be good for a beginning genealogist using a mac. There are a number of choices, and I'm at a loss. Thanks for any help anyone can give.

Re: Software that Downloads Ancestry Info into the program?

iamwindsong — 2009-11-05 11:13:22Z

Well the simple answer is to right click and save to the DESKTOP...not a problem really :-)

Re: Timeline Software - any advice?

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-03 11:06:39Z

The Master Genealogist allows you to build timelines right into your genealogical database- no additional software needed.

Timeline Software - any advice?

lstacey128 — 2009-11-03 10:29:19Z

I am currently looking for some timeline software to produce a timeline of events over a period of about 100 years in order that I can display the life of some of my ancestors and overlay world/local events of that time. In this way I hope to get a graphical feel for my ancestors life and also the times they were living in. Does anyone else use such products to display their research?
Before I spend lots of time and money sourcing a product I thought I would ask the experts (you!).
I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what is a good product to use (Pro's and cons) and what I should steer clear of and why? What do I need to be looking out for in terms of functionality to give me the best possible presentation of my information but also hopefully, the ability to drill behind the information in the main timeline to give background notes etc?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Re: Software that Downloads Ancestry Info into the program?

jaws64 — 2009-10-31 12:05:19Z

You said: "Well the simple answer is to right click and save to the DESKTOP...not a problem really"

The simple answer to the original question ("Is there a program that allows one to import all the information from ancestry.com into it?) is No. Exporting as you suggested does NOT include ALL the info.

Right click and save may not be a problem for those who only have a few items that do not export; however, for those who have hundreds of non-exported items, it may very well be a problem in addition to being very tedious.

Re: GEDCOM to MS Access or Excel

cnewton1969 — 2009-10-30 18:21:11Z

Thanks to all for your replies. I have now developed a MS Access database that reads in a Gedcom file and loads the data into relevant tables. I also have created a number of reports that also seem to do the trick. A lot of hard work but at least I get some useful reports that also look the part.

Re: Ahead Nero - tearing my hair out

Forfarian — 2009-10-30 13:21:39Z

Thank you. I do have a copy of RootsMagic and I have already made the extract from my database so I will try that option.

Re: Software that Downloads Ancestry Info into the program?

jaws64 — 2009-10-30 12:58:19Z

Exporting in that manner will not include ALL items you saved to your Ancestry tree, such as Census images.

Re: Ahead Nero - tearing my hair out

jaws64 — 2009-10-30 12:56:38Z

Is this file from a genie program? If so, RootsMagic has a "sharable CD" feature that will create a read-only copy of your database on an auto-run CD you can send to your relative.

CAVEAT: This makes a copy of your entire database, so if you only want to share a portion, you should create a new database and copy only the portion to be shared, then create the CD.

Re: GEDCOM to MS Access or Excel

jaws64 — 2009-10-30 12:48:36Z

In addition to what Ted said about the viewing screens, RootsMagic has the Individual Summary report that shows all the information you have entered for the person in 3 sections:
Individual facts (such as birth, marriage, death, etc.)
Marriages/Children
Notes
(and sources if you choose that option).

loading pdf files

theresarallen — 2009-10-29 23:17:27Z

I have found about 20 death certificates through a Missouri on-line state site. Ancestry for some reason is not picking this site up.

I have had to download them to my computer as a PDF file.

Does anyone know how I can save them into my tree as a source document?

Re: Access tables into a GEDcom file

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-10-29 22:11:53Z

It depends on just exactly how your access tables are laid out. In general what you want to do is use your access tables as a source file for a mailmerge operation to create a text file in the GEDCOM Format. Without knowing just what the tables look like it is hard to be more precise.

Access tables into a GEDcom file

wendajune1 — 2009-10-29 22:11:38Z

Ok, my question is how to I get my Access tables, which I can export, into a GEDcom file?

Re: Ahead Nero - tearing my hair out

Forfarian — 2009-10-29 22:08:58Z

Thank you. I don't think I had this box ticked, and I was trying to read it in the drive where it was created.

Re: Cemetery Programs

Hfamgen — 2009-10-28 03:06:26Z

Hi,

I selected the CemEditor. I think it's a good choice and it's worth it. I really like it.

So if you are thinking about CemEditor I say Go For It. I'm sure you will be pleased.

Printing Tree in a Book format

taramccallan — 2009-10-12 02:56:25Z

Hi,

Does anyone know of an easy program/site that will print my tree in a book format? Apparently MyCanvas won't ship to Canada. Is there a similar site that will?

Thanks!

Tara

Re: GEDCOM to MS Access or Excel

robmoff — 2009-10-29 22:08:40Z

The Master Genealogist will get pretty close to this.

Re: Ahead Nero - tearing my hair out

robmoff — 2009-10-29 22:05:59Z

If you had the 'Allow other files to be added later' box ticked then the cd is only readable on the drive where it was created.

Re: Rescource file viewer

robmoff — 2009-10-05 10:48:42Z

Don't have 64 bit Vista, but it works in 32 bit IF you install as administrator in compatability mode.

Re: genealogy application that will run on a Blackberry

b1stevens — 2009-10-27 23:56:04Z

Here's a solution to the problem:
Upload your gedcom to Rootsweb and then you can view it in your BB browser.

Re: Software that Downloads Ancestry Info into the program?

THEEWINDSONG — 2009-10-29 02:30:11Z

Hi
Yes all you have to do is export under tree settings from ancestry and it will export as a gedcom then you can use FTM or any other program that works for a gedcom file i keep mine on my desktop, if you delete your files from ancestry onto your pc only make back up copies to a cd or dvd incase some bad happens to your pc or you will lose all of your research.

Re: Printing Tree in a Book format

jaws64 — 2009-10-15 14:15:34Z

Google RootsMagic. Not only does it have a very nice narrative report, it also has a "Publisher" feature that allows you to print reports and charts as one document, with consecutive page numbers. For more information, see this post:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.software.rootsmagic/6.2.1....

Re: Roots 3

jsebenoler — 2009-10-23 23:11:25Z

Hello. I hope you've already resolved your problem. If not, then I'd suggest re-installing the printer driver for your printer. Check with your manufacturer for an update, or their website for a downloadable file.

This is what can happen when a printer suddenly stops printing something. Many times, is that an update may have occurred in either your software or another part of your operating system that changed the ability of the printer's driver to be able to know what to do with your print request. This is why uninstaling and then reinstalling the newest driver for your printer is necessary.

Re: best software?

BarbaraNelson57 — 2009-09-12 22:30:53Z

Thank you, it certainly has made things a lot clearer to me. and I appreciate your help.

barbara

Re: best software?

BarbaraNelson57 — 2009-09-12 18:08:52Z

I have been thinking about doing a full family tree from me back to all great great + grandparents. Would I have to do it all at once, or over time as I learn more information.?

I've never put anything on a CD so how would I go about it, and what would I need besides blank CD's?????

Could someone please tell this dummy a step by step approcach. Would I need to join Ancestry.com etc?(paide membership)

Thank you, and I'm sorry if I sound dumb.

Barbara

Re: best software?

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-09-12 20:05:54Z

Forget the CD for now.

The first thing you need is a genealogy program on your computer to enter your research (research will take time- I've been doing it 40+ years now).

The next thing is to read up on how to do proper genealogy. You can google for this info.

As to Ancestry- you don't *need* a paid membership but it certainly helps with researching. It also has a Learning Center that goes into proper genealogical research with hints, etc.

Once you have your program on your computer, learned about how to research, etc. then you can begin researching and entering your findings.

Putting those findings onto a CD can come after you have gathered a bit of information. I personally don't use CDs except once a year when I send updates to family so I have several backups out there if something hasppens to my computer. In my opinion it is, most of the time, much better to generate reports from a genealogy program and e-mail them to people than sending CDs.

Hope this is of some help to you.

Re: Program for MAC?

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-09-19 16:45:08Z

There is only one *really* good genealogy program for the Mac... Reunion.

Unless, of course, you run a Windows Emulator; if so then try The Master Genealogist.

Re: Program for MAC?

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-10-22 16:25:04Z

I haven't kept up with Reunion's development of late but at one point The Mac version of Reunion was about as good as any windows program out there. I don't know if that is the case today.

Re: Software that Downloads Ancestry Info into the program?

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-10-14 17:03:27Z

You can download a GEDCOM of your online member tree and import it into almost any genealogy program.

You will have to save any images directly to your hard drive and connect them to the correct people once you have imported the GEDCOM into your genealogy program.

PAF, Legacy, and The Master Genealogist are among the more popular genealogy programs.

Re: Printing Tree in a Book format

mi2early — 2009-10-13 13:21:55Z

Googling for "Printing Tree in a Book format" brings up lots of info.

Re: I'm new - do I need software?

BrynneHolland — 2009-10-22 12:07:50Z

While many people only use Ancestry for their database (tree), I would not even consider using a pay based site as my main repository. I do not know if your tree will stay on Ancestry if you cannot renew your subscription, but I do know you would not have access to it in that event.

Check out all programs that offer a free trial. What is best for one person is not necessarily best for someone else. It all depends on what is important to you. And those priorities can change as you become more experienced, so be open minded about changing programs if your needs change.

Some of the other software available are:
RootsMagic
Legacy
The Master Genealogist

Re: Genealogy Software

JSHARPE208 — 2009-10-27 17:17:53Z

I was particularly interested to read your reply re: Mac genealogy software. For the last 10 or more years I have used FTM but as I have now seen the light and bought an iMac I need to purchase a Mac program (none of this nonsense running Windows on a Mac!). I had seen MacFamily Tree at Amazon but am now wondering whether I should opt for Reunion (although it is double the price) having read the previous comments. Has anyone experience of both of these programs and could they give a brief comparison?

Roots 3

harleyphillips129 — 2009-09-15 02:29:28Z

The notes which I have in roots writer have, all of a sudden, quit printing out on family group sheets. Anyone have a suggestion or two as to what might cause this problem? Harley

Re: Program for MAC?

tomtodisco — 2009-09-28 19:47:04Z

I use Reunion and very happy with it. I do miss having that direct connection to Ancestry.com like I had with Family Tree Maker.But other that that and just having to get used to another program, I like Reunion.

Re: Program for MAC?

vickykingsley — 2009-09-19 16:19:17Z

Have the same problem myself.. Like Ancestry, but why does it refuse to have mac compatible tree software, and keep Wolrd Project mac free too? ©r
Have looked at one in Apple store but just dont know what to get...

Re: Program for MAC?

LloydRoupe50 — 2009-10-16 04:49:51Z

I like "Reunion" way far the best. It's expensive, but "Well Worth the Price". I have mine "Customized & Tweaked" just the way I want it to be. It Works Really Good and Looks Great on my 24" iMac.

Re: whats the best software?

rgadawg — 2009-10-08 15:24:24Z

Don't forget the Free software at myHeritage.com, Family Tree Builder. It is plenty powerful for the novice and pro alike.

Software that Downloads Ancestry Info into the program?

archaeologygrl370 — 2009-10-14 14:42:26Z

Is there a program that allows one to import all the information from ancestry.com into it? Is there a way to keep all the records that you have compiled on your computer rather than on ancestry.com?

good software for Russian characters

goncaptive — 2009-09-15 06:00:55Z

I made the mistake of entering my wife's family data into Family Tree Maker in Russian/cyrillic, only to find it lost all the characters once I reopened it. What is a good software program which can handle English and Russian characters?

I'm new - do I need software?

suziequeenbee — 2009-10-21 13:09:14Z

I've been entering lots of people into Ancestry.com for several weeks and it can do most things I want so far (except print a simple family group sheet) but I'm concerned that I should really be using something like Family Tree Maker too. Should I? Does the Ancestry.com stuff get saved indefinately - even if I forget to renew my membership? Does other software give you more ways to do things? Please enlighten a beginner. Thanks, Suzie.

Ahead Nero - tearing my hair out

Forfarian — 2009-10-26 20:42:41Z

I am trying to send to a relative a file which is too large to go by e-mail.

I opened Nero Express and followed the instructions, after which I got a report saying the files had been burned to the CD. However when I look at the CD there is (or appears to be) nothing there. I've tried three times, all with the identical result.

So either (1) how do I get Nero to do what it is supposed to or (2) is there a reliable program which I can download (free) which will actually burn the files to cd?

Re: Rescource file viewer

iandunbar1 — 2009-10-05 11:31:04Z

Thanks for replying.

As i understand it, the 32bit version supports 16 bit applications, but the 64 bit doesn't. I can't even use Windows Virtual PC, because although it will allow me to run the setup.exe file, and might just patch the viewer, it defienatly won't write to the vista registry.

Having said that i might be able to then export the registry entry from the older OS to the vista64 one.

Does anyone think this sound feasable?

Rescource file viewer

iandunbar1 — 2009-10-03 08:55:34Z

I have recently installed the LDS Rescource file viewer to my Vista64bit machine. I have sucessfully got the Vital Index CD set running but the 1881 census for the UK hits a problem. The set up file on the CD that patches the Rescourse file so it can see the 1881 cd set is, i think written in 16 bit which vista64 can't run. My qurstion is, does anyone know of a 32bit version of the patch or are we doomed never to use the 1881 census cd set on out 64 bit machines?

Anyone run FTM 2010, RootsMgic 4, or Legacy Delx on Mac using Parallels or?

searcher4truth — 2009-10-01 07:55:16Z

Would anyone be able to help me with this problem? I have a divided hard drive and don't like to reboot every time I want to use my PC genealogy software. I would like to switch over and run one of these 3 softward programs on my Mac using Parallels or another Windows "replicator". Is anyone doing this successfully? I will use which ever of these 3 programs that one is able to run successfully in this manner.
Thanks in advance,
Patti

Program for MAC?

Lin_Bensen — 2009-09-19 04:01:35Z

Anyone with a MAC have a suggestion for a genealogy program that they feel is great? I haven't found anyone who is satisfied - I'm sure there are some. Thanks

Re: Program for MAC?

NJHeart2Heart — 2009-10-22 13:58:43Z

I too am a new Mac user and am just so dissappointed by the lack of options out there. I am trying Virtualbox (a windows emulator) so I can run my current genealogy program, Legacy Family Tree, but I just find it so sad that no one seems willing to invest in a good program for Mac other than Reunion- Not that I know anything about Reunion other than it's the best Mac program out there- but how does it compare to the windows programs? There seem to be "zippo/zilch" current internet sources for comparisons...